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State Department appeals for calm in Egypt amid presidential power grab

By BYRON TAU

11/23/2012 01:36 PM EST

The State Department is calling for calm in Egypt after that country's Islamist President Mohamed Morsi granted himself sweeping powers this week.

"The decisions and declarations announced on November 22 raise concerns for many Egyptians and for the international community," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement.

In a Thursday decision, the Muslim Brotherhood-backed Morsi issued a decree granted himself non-reviewable authority in a country that has operated on a provision constitution since 2011.

Democracy activist Mohamed ElBaradei said that Morsi had essentially declared himself "Egypt's new pharaoh." The move also prompted clashes between Muslim Brotherhood supporters and pro-democracy and secularist protesters in Cairo, Alexandria, Giza and other cities. In three cities, the local offices of the Muslim Brotherhood were burned.

"We call for calm and encourage all parties to work together and call for all Egyptians to resolve their differences over these important issues peacefully and through democratic dialogue," Nuland said.

Morsi's move came just days after he was praised by U.S. leaders for helping to negotiate a cease-fire between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israeli. Morsi's foreign minister announced the cease-fire with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at his side.

The State Department also condemned the move as contrary to the spirit of the 2011 revolution that swept former President Hosni Mubarack out of power after near three decades in power.

"One of the aspirations of the revolution was to ensure that power would not be overly concentrated in the hands of any one person or institution. The current constitutional vacuum in Egypt can only be resolved by the adoption of a constitution that includes checks and balances, and respects fundamental freedoms, individual rights, and the rule of law consistent with Egypt's international commitments," Nuland said.